Pinoys in Taiwan told to be careful in using ATM, SIM cards


Philippine officials in Taiwan on Tuesday cautioned Filipinos working there against syndicates and individuals engaged in identity theft and electronic fraud.
The Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO) gave the warning following reports of Filipinos who have fallen victims to unauthorized use of their ATM and SIM cards.
Reports reaching MECO said four Filipinos were recently held by Taiwan immigration after law enforcement records show they were involved in bank fraud cases.
"It turned out that they were victims of a syndicate who used unclaimed ATM cards from a loan shark to carry out illegal transactions," said MECO Chairman and Resident Representative Angelito Banayo in a statement.
Banayo said last year, Taiwan police investigators nabbed a couple engaged in illegally lending money to Filipino factory workers in exchange for their ATM cards, from where they extract payments for the loans.
He said investigators found out that a nephew of the couple sold the unclaimed ATM cards to online fraud syndicates for NT$5,000 each.
"The illegal transactions under said ATM cards started late last year andn Taiwan police were able to trace the accounts to Filipino workers who were in turn issued hold departure orders," Banayo said.
He said this kind of modus operandi has been ongoing since 2012.
Free SIM modus
Meanwhile, MECO has also received reports of syndicates using SIM cards to steal the identities of their Filipino victims.
The syndicate, according to Banayo, entices Filipinos in airports and watering holes with free SIM cards which will be registered under their Alien Resident Certificates or Philippine passports as required by Taiwan law.
"Normally, those who avail would only get one of at least three SIM cards offered and leave the other SIM cards at the store fronting for the syndicate," Banayo said. "The unused SIM cards are the ones utilized in the illegal activities."
Taiwanese authorities eventually traced the SIM cards to the unwitting Filipinos.
Banayo reminded Filipinos in Taiwan to be wary of giving away their personal documents and information so as not to be victimized by fraud.
Filipinos victimized by the syndicates are encouraged to immediately report the incident to the police or to MECO offices. —KBK, GMA News

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